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Wenger, revealed that FIFA had take note of the challenges at the Club World Cup and would work towards improving on the same at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Arsene Wenger. (X)
Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger backed the revamped edition of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, terming the event in the United States of America a fantastic competition.
While the expanded club tournament offered up enticing encounters between clubs from around the world, the event has had to contend with scrutiny over scheduling from participants and stakeholders across the board.
Former Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp called the extended league-cum-knockout tournament “the worst idea ever invented” a couple of weeks ago.
However, Wenger, who is FIFA’s chief of global football development, stated that, “Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and I don’t share Jurgen Klopp’s view at all.”
“I feel that a Club World Cup, a REAL Club World Cup was needed. If you make an inquiry today with all the clubs who were here at this competition, I’m basically sure that we have 100% of answers of people who want to do this again,” the Frenchman said.
“So that’s basically the best answer,” the 75-year-old said.
There were doubts over attendance in the North American nation, but Wenger levied any such qualms as he revealed that the crowd strength was indeed higher than the projections predicted.
“The decisive question is, do the fans like it? Attendance projections were low, but in reality, they were much higher. The answer is there,” he added.
Wenger acknowledged the issues player encountered due to the heat, but added that FIFA has picked up a valuable lessons to address the issue ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 slated to be held in USA, Canada and Mexico.
“The heat in some games was a problem,” Wenger disclosed.
“We tried to combat that with cooling breaks and watering the pitches during breaks. We learned a lot on that front,” he reflected.
While there has been criticism of the playing conditions, Wenger divulged that the surface used in Philadelphia would serve as a benchmark for future competitions in America.
Wenger also added that FIFA is considering using covered stadiums in cities such as Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Houston to host early games at the quadrennial spectacle.
“Certainly next year, there will be more roofed stadiums as we have to follow the TV schedule. We are learning to be better equipped to deal with these conditions,” Wenger concluded.
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